By:Athuman Luchi
Public health facilities in Mombasa recorded 446,930 service contacts involving children under the age of five between January and June 2026, highlighting the growing demand for paediatric healthcare services across the county.
Through its free healthcare programme for children under five, the Mombasa County Government estimates that families saved approximately 73 million shillings in medical expenses during the six-month period.
The county has now further strengthened paediatric healthcare services with the opening of a dedicated operating theatre for children at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The modern, fully equipped theatre has been established through a partnership between the county government and Kids Operating Room, with the aim of expanding access to specialised surgical care for children.
The facility is expected to reduce the need for families to travel outside Mombasa in search of specialised paediatric surgery, while easing the financial burden associated with treatment.
The county government says the investment reflects its commitment to ensuring that a family’s financial situation does not determine whether a child receives the medical care they need.
County officials say the new theatre is also a demonstration of the impact of devolution, with specialised healthcare services being brought closer to residents.
The county government maintains that its success should be measured not only by infrastructure developed, but by the number of lives improved and families protected from the high cost of medical care.
